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Reliable home router suggestion?

I

Iphone4sinwhite

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 24, 2011
307
3
What is a good suggested feature set and/or a good router for at home use? At my home are a few computers, phones, tablets, and rokus.

My current router has problems maintaining stable wifi at home over both 2GHZ & 5GHZ radios and has a habit of giving out the same IP address to multiple devices. I want to avoid these problems.
 
Apple AirPort Extreme, Netgear WNDR-3700 and up or ASUS top of the line are all very good choices.

I wouldn't touch, D-link, Belkin or Linksys.

What router are you using now?
 
Just buy an Airport Extreme, they're great. Mines been flawless.

Plus your supporting them by pumping more money into Apples war chest, and assisting in the funding of lawsuits.

Apple will be thrilled :)
 
Extreme or TC as the router with Express units as extensions to fill out the wifi coverage and, add remote ethernet ports or remote audio via Airplay.
 
Iphone4sinwhite said:
What is a good suggested feature set and/or a good router for at home use? At my home are a few computers, phones, tablets, and rokus.

My current router has problems maintaining stable wifi at home over both 2GHZ & 5GHZ radios and has a habit of giving out the same IP address to multiple devices. I want to avoid these problems.
Click to expand...

If you have an Apple environment, get an Apple Router - Express, Extreme or TC, unless you have some special requirements.
If you have a mixed environment, look at the above plus get an idea of what these people recommend : http://www.smallnetbuilder.com.
Look at their forums also : http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5.

Otherwise, what blueroom said is pretty much true. I had a top of the line Asus to replace my Linksys that replaced my USRobotics. Then I ditched it and switched to Apple. Never better.
 
My current problem router is a Netgear. Can the airport express handle about 15 devices in a 2500 sq. ft. 2 story house with basement?
 
Just throwin' this out there, you can snag an AirPort Extreme (refurb) at Best Buy today for $89.99 - Regular price = $179.99.

EDIT - A refurb from Apple is $139.99
EDIT x2 - Just make sure if you get it that it's actually a 5th gen. There're mixed reports
 
Iphone4sinwhite said:
My current problem router is a Netgear. Can the airport express handle about 15 devices in a 2500 sq. ft. 2 story house with basement?
Click to expand...

I have 30 devices on my network. Only 5 are wireless but they are a mix of 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. I have a 4 story house with a long ground floor (think vertical L). Ground floor is ~1000 sq ft. To cover all this I have 2 Express units and 1 Extreme in a roaming network. If I just used one unit it would probably do the job, but the 5Ghz data rates wouldn't be that great.
 
KylePowers said:
Just throwin' this out there, you can snag an AirPort Extreme (refurb) at Best Buy today for $89.99 - Regular price = $179.99.

EDIT - A refurb from Apple is $139.99
EDIT x2 - Just make sure if you get it that it's actually a 5th gen. There're mixed reports
Click to expand...

The bestbuy page indicates Model RF-MD031LL/A, which indicates a 5th gen. If that's not the model you get, then keep your records so you can return it.
 
I just saw the refurbished Extreme at Best Buy and came here to see if there is a huge difference between the Extreme and AirPort Express performance-wise. I wasn't looking to spend $180 on a new one and was conflicted by the mixed reviews on the refurb. I would more than likely buy the new Express or refurbished Extreme from Apple.
I only have a few things that would be connected to wifi so what would be my best bet?
Thanks
 
blueroom said:
Apple AirPort Extreme, Netgear WNDR-3700 and up or ASUS top of the line are all very good choices.

I wouldn't touch, D-link, Belkin or Linksys.

What router are you using now?
Click to expand...

Why not D-Link? I've had only good experiences with D-Link, whereas my Netgears have never been that good.

Switched everything over to an Airport Extreme/Time Capsule mix now though. Very happy with it.
 
maxosx said:
Just buy an Airport Extreme, they're great. Mines been flawless.
Click to expand...

If they were flawless, my iPhone and PS3 would connect, which they randomly decided to stop doing.

EDIT: Can't seem to delete this response. Solved the problem I was having and posted this when I was frustrated.
 
Last edited:
I purchased an airport express last night. I wasn't able to set it up with my 4S, but I setup with my MBP was quick and intuitive. All of the devices thus far have been able to connect without issue. I hope it stays this way.
 
Iphone4sinwhite said:
I purchased an airport express last night. I wasn't able to set it up with my 4S, but I setup with my MBP was quick and intuitive. All of the devices thus far have been able to connect without issue. I hope it stays this way.
Click to expand...

iPhone4s only connects on 2.4Ghz. It might be that your MBP is on 5Ghz so you will need to mess with some of the AE's settings.
 
cheisA1A said:
I just saw the refurbished Extreme at Best Buy and came here to see if there is a huge difference between the Extreme and AirPort Express performance-wise. I wasn't looking to spend $180 on a new one and was conflicted by the mixed reviews on the refurb. I would more than likely buy the new Express or refurbished Extreme from Apple.
I only have a few things that would be connected to wifi so what would be my best bet?
Thanks
Click to expand...

buy both at best buy, run your own tests and return the one that's not as good. They have pretty easy returns vs official apple, so I'd do this way if you can't decide.
 
My iPhone now has an airplay button appear (I'm assuming that's what it is). Can I only play music from my phone on speakers directly attached to the Airport Express through usb or the audio jack?
 
JacksterD said:
Oh, by the way you should note that there is a long standing bug which prevents Xbox 360 consoles from connecting to Airport devices at speeds of greater than 5mbps over wifi. This makes it difficult to use the Xbox with the likes of Netflix.
Click to expand...
I never knew that - but I did end up hard wiring my xbox after I noticed the connection speed wasn't that great.

Is there any fix for that or is the fix just not to use wifi?

Other than the xbox, my Airport Extreme has been pretty reliable.
 
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